MassDOT’s Highway Assistance Patrol and Incident Response Vehicles will now be assisting commuters on Interstate 93/O'Neill Tunnel running through Boston, as well as at the Tobin Bridge, Ted Williams Tunnels, Sumner and Callahan Tunnels. This is in addition to existing service in Greater Boston, Worcester, Springfield and seasonal service on Cape Cod.

“We are pleased to expand our unique public/private partnership with MAPFRE | Commerce Insurance,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey. “Together we are able to remain focused on customer service and safety.”

The newly branded MAPFRE | Commerce Insurance incident response trucks, flatbed trucks with a red and white cab, represent a change for motorists who may be accustomed to seeing MassDOT's yellow incident response vehicles in the Metropolitan Highway System. The mission to assist motorists with car trouble and quickly clear incidents that impede traffic remains the same.

“Seconds count when you are dealing with a roadway incident, especially within the tunnel system,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Frank DePaola. "We want to users of the tunnel system to know these MAPFRE | Commerce Insurance branded vehicles will now be coming to their aid and offering quick, professional service."

Responding to more than 30,000 incidents annually, the Patrol has had a decisive impact on (i) moving vulnerable drivers and their disabled vehicles out of harm’s way (ii) reducing secondary accidents by quickly clearing lane-blocking vehicles that endanger on-going traffic (iii) reducing congestion (iv) lowering the number of travel delays and (v) reducing harmful carbon monoxide emissions from stalled traffic.

“This is just one example of the importance of successful public-private partnerships in our transportation system,” said Senator Thomas M. McGee. “These vehicles will go a long way in efficiently and safely assisting emergency situations that the drivers of Massachusetts encounter on our roads.

“I'm appreciative of all the work MassDOT performs and their continued efforts to keep the roads safer. These additional response vehicles will further ensure that Massachusetts drivers are well-served if they experience a problem on the highway," said Representative William Straus.

MAPFRE | Commerce Insurance's renewed sponsorship of the program provides $1.875 million in revenue to MassDOT over the 2 and 1/2-years of the new contract. These funds will help expand the patrol routes to cover I-93 and the downtown tunnels that run through Boston in addition to patrolling the surrounding metro area, as well as provide necessary program improvements such as upgraded vehicles with high-reflectivity vehicle wrapping, which provides better visibility to motorists awaiting help.

“We are proud to partner with MassDOT to sponsor the Highway Assistance Program,” said Jaime Tamayo, MAPFRE USA President and CEO. “Helping motorists feel safer on our roadways is important to us and we appreciate the opportunity to make a difference.”

For transportation news and updates visit MassDOT at our website: www.mass.gov/massdot, blog: www.mass.gov/blog/transportation, or follow MassDOT on twitter at www.twitter.com/massdot and Facebook at www.facebook.com/massdotinfo.

For B-Roll footage of the HAP Patrol please visit: www.travelersmarketing.com/HighwayAssistancePatrol

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About MAPFRE | Commerce Insurance:
MAPFRE | Commerce Insurance is a brand and service mark of MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp. and its affiliates, The Commerce Insurance Company and Citation Insurance Company in Webster, MA. The Commerce Insurance Company is the largest auto and homeowners insurer in Massachusetts.
About MAPFRE U.S.A.
MAPFRE U.S.A. is part of the MAPFRE Group, a multinational insurer with business in 46 countries on five continents. The Group is the leading insurer in the Spanish market and in the Non-Life market in Latin America. MAPFRE Group is the sixth largest Non-Life insurer in Europe and has 35,000 employees and over 23 million customers all over the world. In 2011, its net profits were $1.25 billion with revenue of over $30.5 billion.